Historic helo restored

U.S. Marine Corps photo

Shown is a recently restored HH-1K aircraft placed by Marines from VX- 9 and the Marine Aviation Detachment near the MAD headquarters on Feb. 13. Volunteers from the MAD, Naval Air Weapons Station, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, and several contractors and civilians performed the restoration of the helicopter. Markings on the aircraft are in honor of both the sailors of HAL-5 (a U.S. Navy light attack helicopter squadron that was commissioned following HAL-3, which saw combat in Vietnam), and Marine Maj. Stephen W. Pless. Pless was a Medal of Honor recipient from VMO-6 whose actions near Quang Nai, Republic of Vietnam, on Aug. 19, 1967, saved four American soldiers even as he was being attacked at close range by more than 30 Viet Cong forces.